It All Comes Down to Love
by Compulsive Bowler
Summary: Roger is single and somewhat lonely. Mark thought no one could ever replace the latina dancer that once sparked his life, but what happens when Roger meets his perfect man and it's not who he thought it would be? Roger/OC slash!
1. Just Some Guy

A/N: Definitely biting off more than I can chew, but I had sudden inspiration for this story. Not a Mark/Roger story; sorry! Roger/OC, Maureen/Joanne, Collins/Benny, and possible Mark/OC. Slash: don't like, don't read! PostRent, modern day. Rated T, but it's a racy/explicit T that might change to M; just be aware. Please r&r, tell me what you think!

"Goddamit Collins," Roger grumbled as Collins dragged him down Times Square, wearing bright, rainbow t-shirts, "You know I support gay marriage as much as any sane man, but why the hell am I here? Can't you guys have your celebration be just YOUR celebration?"

Collins began to chuckle at Roger's comment before laughing insanely. "Damn boy, you're here because this is YOUR celebration too! Now you, in theory," Collins winked and shoved Roger's arm, "can marry who ever the hell you want to!" Roger was openly bisexual, but the gay community didn't suit him and his romantic wants. Everyone at this rally seemed like a shameful closet case, a junkie, or a flamboyant flamer. All of them were semi-decent people, Roger was sure, but he wanted the closest thing to a normal person possible. Mimi was gone, but that didn't mean he had to fill her spot immediately. As cliché as it sounded, Roger was waiting for Mr. Right to step into his life.

"But my dear Collins," Roger began with more sarcasm than an episode of the Colbert Report, "there are many phases before marriage. One of the first ones is having a relationship, or even before that, a date."

"Oh I see, Roger the single jackass again," a name Collins so affectionately gave Roger whenever he chose to complain about the people in New York or being single in general. At that moment a young cross dresser came up to Collins and slapped his butt. Collins chuckled before sighing. "Man I'm flattered and all, but I've been to this spot, sorry,"

"Honey," the young cross dresser said in the stereotypical gay voice that drove Roger insane, "who said I was looking for anything! Learn to flirt a little!"

"Damn Collins, looks like you just got shut down!" Roger couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Whateva pretty boy, Imma go get a hurricane. You want one? Cuz you look like you could use a drink," Collins offered, not amused by Roger's glee.

"Yeah put me down for one I guess," Roger replied as his rapid laughter died down and he caught his breath. He stood there for a minute after Collins had gone just studying his surroundings. Nearby a few couples had a massage train and 5 guys were shooting up. _"Poor bastards" _Roger thought before he allowed a contemptuous smile come to his face. He would never have admitted it, but he didn't mind being there. It was nice to get out of the loft without Mark babying him to take his AZT or fretting that he'd catch a cold.

Roger looked around, _"Everyone else is having so much fun,"_ he thought. Maybe he should have done something wild, stupid or both. Roger stood and bobbed his head in hopes that maybe it would attract someone looking for an ex-junkie, sort of up-and-coming guitarist. After 2 minutes, Roger realized his attempt was futile and went to look for Collins.

Roger roamed around and saw some very interesting people, no one that he was interested in however. While looking at a lesbian couple make out, he bumped into something, a tree maybe.

"Shit, I'm sorry!" Roger exclaimed. What he saw dazzled him. A young man, about 28, stood there before him with a look professing the same apology back to him. He was about 6'3" with perfectly tanned skin. He had just a few freckles grazing his shoulders, which were exposed in his black tank top. His hair was a medium brown and was neatly brushed down on the sides and in the back, but in the front it was spiked up, similarly to the fashion of Mark's hair, only more straight up and less flipped back. Matching his hair perfectly were his eyes. They were a deep chocolate brown that seemed normal at first glance, but were so deep and full of life Roger couldn't help but crack a smile. He had the perfect amount of scruff on his face that accented his smooth lips. Looking further down, Roger saw his muscular legs from under a pair of rolled up jeans he was sporting as capris coupled with brown leather flip flops that accentuated the brown-cloth belt that held his jeans up, but not by too much. They still hung naturally at his slim hips. "I uhm, I was just, uh," Roger stuttered. Roger never stuttered before. "Have you seen a tall black man, wearing a beanie, supposedly with 2 hurricanes around?"

"No sorry! And I am so sorry for bumping into you like that, I should probably watch where I'm going," the young man replied with an apologetic yet genuine smile. His voice was as smooth as silk. It seemed so melismatic that it was as if he was singing. The young man really baffled Roger and stunned him to a startling extent.

"Right, well, uhm enjoy the celebration I guess," Roger said. _"Wow, he's normal and cute, well at least he seems normal" _Roger thought.

"You too! And good luck finding your boyfriend!" he called back. Like Roger would ever date Collins.

Collins, who was apparently a few yards away and witnessed the whole ordeal, came over. "Rog man, you got it bad. You should've asked his name boy!" Collins wailed while simultaneously slapping Roger on the shoulder.

"Nawh man, he's just some guy celebrating his right to marry. Besides, he thinks I'm taken," Roger boasted.

"Oh yeah, why's that? Because of your irresistible charm, your hair, or your rock star image?" Collins inquired sarcastically.

"I asked where the black guy in a beanie with 2 hurricanes was and he thought you were my boyfriend!" Roger taunted.

"Like I would ever date yo sorry ass Rog," Collins replied rather sassily. With that the young, charming man looked back, his gaze meeting Roger's for a brief moment before he blushed and went back to his friends. Collins, having seen the encounter asked, "So are you gonna go over and ask him out?"

Then Roger told what he knew was a huge lie and contradicted everything he felt, "Nawh man, he's just some random guy."


	2. Sweet Heaven I'm in Love Again

A/N: Chapter 2, chapter 2, get your chapter 2 here! Who is this mysterious cutie Roger met, and is he Mr. Right? Written for my biffle (who is not on fanfiction unfortunately), but she is reading the story. I have decided to make my r&r requests philosophical. A story without a review is as existent as a nihilist's beliefs (= not slander, merely humor).

A week or so had past since the gayday parade (as Collins had put it), and neither of them mentioned the mysterious man that Roger had met. Despite his deepest desire to forget the man and leave him as part of the past, Roger thought about him everyday. He also tried to figure out where and how he could find the mystery guy again. _He obviously has gay pride, so maybe I could go to more LGBT events. But the legalization of gay marriage was a big deal and just because mystery man celebrated that didn't mean he celebrated his sexuality everyday. _ As Roger pondered this thought, he realized that he wasn't even sure if mystery man was gay. _Just because he was celebrating gayday doesn't mean that he's gay, he could've just been celebrating for his friends. Stupid! I should have known better. _

Roger pondered all of this while eating his cereal at the old metal table in their kitchen area. Thanks to Mark's skyrocketing film career, they could now afford to eat more than 4x a week. Mark had recently won awards and honorable mentions from several film festivals. He also received a huge grant for his work. But even when that wasn't enough to hold them over, Mark's exposure from the film festivals got him work as a cameraman for a dozen or so low-budget films.

Even though Mark had become a pretty big success, he still filmed with his old camera, lived in the loft, and had the same friends. He was in the room while Roger sat eating his cereal and thinking.

"Roger, you okay?" Mark asked as a response to his sour, perplexed face. "You seem sorta out of it…"

"Mark, do you think it's possible to just _bump into _someone in the city?" Roger asked hopefully.

"Well Roger, anything is possible. But without a lead on what part of the city the person is in, it would be highly unlikely. Good luck finding your man Rog," Mark replied like a smart ass.

Roger defended himself. "Who said anything about a boyfriend?" 

"Please Rog, you're obviously smitten with her…or him. You look like a lovesick puppy," Mark replied all too pleased with himself. Roger blushed at the lovesick puppy comment.

"Whatever…" Roger huffed as he grabbed his leather jacket and headed out the door. If he was going to find mystery man, he would have to start as soon as possible. Roger recalled his appearance to see if there was anything that might give him a hint. Roger distinctly remembered seeing that his fingers were extremely calloused. Roger knew better than anyone that fingers that tough, more often than not, come from playing instruments. Mystery man didn't give Roger a rock'n'roll vibe though, he seemed too calm, too laid back, too not-Roger for that. Then, it came to Roger; check a jazz club.

Roger ran frantically through alphabet city up closer to midtown to hit up every jazz bar he could find.

**A few hours later**

Roger thought he had searched every cabaret bar in the area before he dragged himself back home with no success. He decided that it couldn't possibly hurt to drop by the Life Café for a beer before going back to the loft. One of the first things Mark did with his money was to pay back all of the debt they owed to the Life. Thanks to that, they still went all of the time and now the manager didn't hate them. He trudged in and grabbed a spot at the bar. Just as he was sitting down, the MC announced the next act. The next guy would be playing an arrangement of _Devil May Care _and riffing on it. Blech. There was nothing Roger hated more than when untalented aspiring singers tried to scat and riff. It was pitiful and he considered it torture. Much to his surprise, it was mystery man who came on. He sat down at the piano and his fingers lightly brushed the keys before he spoke.

"Hey guys, I'm Elliot, and this is _Devil May Care._" He sang with so much soul. His voice sounded so angelic, yet carefree, Roger was immediately captivated.

_No cares for me, I'm happy as I can be_

_I've learned to love and to live_

_Devil may care_

_No blues or woes, whatever comes later goes_

_That's why I take and I give_

_Devil may care_

His silky voice caressed the air as he sang. Roger was in heaven. Not many people knew it, but Roger had a soft spot for exceptionally good jazz. Unfortunately, he didn't catch mystery man's name because he was ordering while the MC said it. He quickly downed the rest of his beer and went backstage so as to catch mystery man. Right as he got backstage, he found his crush talking to a rather attractive girl. She was blonde with full red lips and an oval shaped face. He felt his heart drop and the disappointment of not being able to get the guy set in. He was straight after all. He and his lady friend hugged and she went out on stage.

Roger turned around to go, but mystery man caught him.

"Hey! What brings you here?" He asked with a genuine, charming smile. He acted like they had known each other forever. Roger knew of that cliché, but until now he had never actually met someone like that.

"Hi," Roger said while nervously brushing his hair back and stuffing his other hand in his pocket, "I just stopped in to get a drink and I saw you perform. You were…wow. It was incredible. I actually love jazz, despite my career."

"Really? That's totally awesome! What do you do?" Mystery man inquired.

"Oh, I'm a guitarist. My band gigs around the area," Roger replied sheepishly.

"That's you? You're the guitarist in the Well Hungarians. You guys are great! I love how your sound is punk, but it doesn't get too angsty or depressing. It's so…real," He smiled on the world real. He gazed into Roger's eyes and Roger couldn't help but want so badly to kiss him. He was the sweetest and most honest person Roger had ever met. _This is what Collins must have felt like with Angel _he thought.

"I'm Elliot, by the way," he said charmingly. Elliot. It was a name that suited the man. Simple, sweet, but classy all at the same time.

"Roger," Roger replied while holding out his hand to shake.

"Hi Roger," Elliot replied with a grin while he shook Roger's hand. _Firm grip _Roger thought. "We should grab a drink sometime. Talk about music," Elliot offered warmly.

"Yeah, that's sounds awesome," Roger replied politely. There was something about Elliot that made Roger feel better and nicer.

"How does tomorrow sound?"

"That's great. Is your girlfriend coming?" Roger asked gesturing towards the beautiful blonde.

"Jenn? She's not my girlfriend, she's my roommate. I met you at a celebration of GAY marriage, remember? He asked sarcastically. Even his sarcasm was warm and inviting.

"Speaking of which, would this be okay with your boyfriend?"

"Who…?"

"The guy you were looking for the other day. Tall, African-american," _PC _Roger thought.

"Collins? Noooooo way. Not my boyfriend. He's just my friend." Roger tried to persuade him, but somehow Elliot seemed not to believe him.

"Okay, whatever you say. Listen, I gotta go back out for the rest of the set, but I'll meet you in front of here tomorrow at 8, then we'll go have some fun, okay?" He clarified flirtatiously.

"See you then!" Roger called while jogging out. As soon as he got outside he saw the bulge coming out of his skinny jeans.

"Shit."

A/N: Do you like Elliot? Do you still love Roger? Let me know! Review :)


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